Justin hugged Debbie.  “It was good to see you.”

“Thank you Sunshine,” Debbie said. 

“Bye ma,” Michael said waving his hand at her.

Debbie closed the door with a big smile.  She was happy that they had come for dinner.  She wanted them to stay longer but she knew they probably had plans for the night.

“Let’s go to Babylon,” Ted said.

“Except the two of you,” Brian said looking at Lindsay and Melanie.  “That would be so not cool,” he said like a teenager and then grinned.  “I don’t want to hang out with them, Justin.”

“Brian,” Justin said shaking his head.  He hid the smile that was threatening to come out.  Brian looked so adorable.

“Fuck off,” Melanie said as they all walked slowly away from Debbie’s house.

“You look very happy this night,” Emmett said.  “Did Brian do anything special?”

“Last night,” Justin replied with a gigantic smile.  “I can’t stop thinking about it.  It was so great.”

“Oh,” Emmett exclaimed and stopped walking.  “Tell me.”

The others stopped as well.

“We had a picnic,” Justin said.

“Is that so?” Ben asked and sighed.  He could see how happy Justin looked.  He could only hope that they were right and Brian had fallen for the blond.

“You don’t say,” Emmett said clapping his hand.  “I want to hear every detail.”

Justin blushed.  “I can’t say all the details.”

Emmett arched a brow.

“You guys couldn’t have fucked,” Michael protested.  “What if someone saw you guys?”

“They wouldn’t have,” Justin said.  “It was at the loft.  It was the best picnic I have ever had.  I mean, you should have seen it.  There were candles all over the place.  Brian put a blanket and pillows and of course the basket.  We ate and talked and it was amazing.”

Ted frowned.  “I thought picnics should be at a park or in public places.”

“So what?” Justin asked.  “It was ten times better.”

“That’s so sweet,” Lindsay said after hearing them.

“I don’t believe it,” Melanie added her two cents.

“Whatever,” Brian said throwing his arm around the blond.  “Let’s go home.”

“I thought we were going to Babylon,” Ted pointed out.

“No, you thought wrong,” Brian replied and started walking towards Justin’s car.

Melanie and Lindsay were walking behind them.  They had parked in front of Justin.  

“Ask him,” Melanie whispered.

Brian rolled his eyes because he could actually hear them.  He decided to keep on walking.  Justin was walking very slowly because he so wanted to hear what they were whispering about.

“Brian,” Lindsay said suddenly.

Brian stopped and turned around.  “Yes?”

“Uh, well, we wanted to ask you something,” Lindsay babbled.

“You don’t say,” Brian drawled.  He licked his lips and smiled.

Justin stared at each one of them wondering if anyone was going to talk.  He cleared his throat and looked at the girls.

“So, have you thought about our offer?” Melanie asked as put her hands on her hips.

Brian looked from them to Justin.  “Justin and I have talked about it.”

Justin looked at Brian like he was crazy.  He looked at the girls and smiled.  If Brian said that he was going to decline he was going to kill the man for giving him part of the blame.

“What does Justin have to do with anything?” Melanie asked mad.

“He’s my partner,” Brian spat out.

Justin wanted to point out to Brian that they weren’t really together.  He just kept quiet knowing that it was all part of the façade.

“Brian,” Lindsay said.  “We really want this.”

“Then thank Justin because he convinced me,” Brian said before he reached the short distance between him and the Jeep.

The girls turned to look at each other in shock before they broke out into a laugh.  They rushed to the blond and hugged him telling him ‘thank you’ over and over again.

“Congratulations,” Justin said a bit taken aback.  Brian hadn’t told him anything about his decision.

“Oh my god,” Melanie said and she and Lindsay hugged each other.

Justin went to his car and got on the passenger’s seat.  “Guess you want to drive,” he said handing the keys to Brian.

“What gave you that idea?” Brian asked as he started the car.

Justin licked his lips.  “Brian,” he whispered.

“What?” Brian asked.

“What are you doing?” Justin asked.  “I mean, if you want to do this fine but why are you telling them I was part of the decision.”

“You were,” Brian pointed out as he pulled out of the curb.  “You said that I should think things through and that if I wanted I should accept the offer.”

Justin smiled a bit and moved closer to Brian.  He kissed the man on his jaw before he pulled back.  “I think that you’re great.”

“I know,” Brian said smiling widely as he stopped at a red light.  He leaned closer to Justin then.  “And I so deserve a better kiss than that.

Justin laughed and this time he kissed Brian on the mouth giving it all he had.  He was happy for the brunet but it saddened him to know that in the end he wasn’t really going to be part of it.  Lindsay was going to have Brian’s kid and by the time that happened he was going to be nothing but a memory.

***

“Justin!” Brian hissed as he shook the blond.

Justin opened his eyes wide.  He sat up when Brian pulled away.  “What?”

“Get dressed,” Brian told him.  “Come on, we have to go.”

Justin got out of the bed as quickly as he could and started taking the clothes that Brian was throwing his way.  He got in them not sure what was going on.  “Brian?”

“Let’s go,” Brian said as he moved out of the bedroom.  

Justin finished getting dressed and followed the older man.  He wondered if Brian had lost his mind.  He had time to grab his wallet and his cell phone.  Then they took the stairs like two bats out of hell, Justin was only rushing because he was running after Brian.  

“Okay,” Justin said.  “What the hell is going on?” he asked once they were in the ‘vette.

“Michael called me,” Brian said as he drove out of the parking.  

“Brian, Jesus,” the blond gasped.  “Take it easy. We don’t want to have an accident.  What the fuck happened?”

“Ben’s in the hospital,” Brian told him.

“Oh my god,” Justin gasped out.  “Were they in an accident?  What happened?”

Brian slammed on the breaks and Justin thought they were going to die.  When the blond looked forward he saw that the light was red.  

“Brian,” Justin said and sighed.  “We want to get there alive, okay?”

Brian nodded absently.  He needed to get to his best friend.  

“Did he tell you what’s wrong?” Justin asked as he started to bit the nail of his thumb.

Brian was silent as he waited for the light.

Justin frowned as he looked at the brunet.  He looked away and straight ahead not sure why the brunet didn’t want to tell him.  It was obvious that he would find out eventually when they got to the hospital, if they did.  “Brian, what the fuck did I tell you?  We’ll get there when we get there!”

“Michael needs me,” Brian shouted back.

“You would have to be alive to help him,” Justin hissed.

Brian ignored the blond and kept speeding to get to his friend.  He found a spot when they arrived and parked there.  Justin practically bolted out of the car.  The whole way there he thought they were going to crash.  He put a hand over his chest and sighed.

Brian slammed the door of the car and walked over to the blond.  He kissed him hard before he grabbed Justin’s hand and interlaced it with his.  “Sorry.”

“Yeah,” Justin muttered as they started walking, very fast, to the entrance.  “What’s wrong with him, Brian?”

“He’s HIV positive,” Brian informed him.

Justin opened his mouth in shock.  He wouldn’t have guessed that in a million years.  Ben always looked so healthy and alive.  He kept on walking as fast as he could as Brian pulled him by the hand.  They didn’t stop to ask anything since Michael had already told Brian in what floor he was.

“There he is,” Brian said as he let go of Justin and trotted to his friend.  “Michael!”

Michael looked up slowly, his face filled with tears.  He got up slowly and Brian received him in his arms.  He started sobbing harder then.  

Justin got there and bit his lower lip.  He watched Brian and didn’t think it was possible to fall more in love and in a moment like that, but he was.  The brunet was there with a sad expression on his face because his best friend was hurting.  Justin rolled his lips inside his mouth and sat down.  He had to focus on something else or he was going to start crying.  He had gotten in such a mess, knee in deep and sinking lower.

“Brian,” Michael said pulling away and trying to clean his tears.  “God, Brian.  I don’t know what to do.”

Brian pushed his friend back and sat next to him.  “What happened?”

Michael sighed and put his head on Brian’s shoulder.  “When we got home he seemed fine.  We watched a movie and when we were done he started coughing.  I asked him if he was okay and he said that he felt fine.”

Brian caressed Michael’s back.  

“I should have known better,” Michael cried out.  “He went to take a shower and he took so long...when I...when I went to check him he was on his back with the shower spray hitting his face.  I got inside and closed it and...he looked so pale,” Michael said sniffed after getting a few words each time.

Justin watched Michael not sure what he could say.  He thought it was best to keep quiet.

“What the doctor said?” Brian asked.

“I’m waiting for him to come and talk to me,” Michael said.  “But he was so fucking mean.  I think he even glared at me when he found out that I was Ben’s partner.”

“Great,” Brian said.  That’s all they need now, a fucking homophone.

“Brain,” Michael said.  “Thanks for coming.”

Brian nodded and sat there with Michael half on top of him crying.  Justin was next to him staring at the wall in front of him.  All they could do now was to wait together until someone came to tell them the news about Ben’s condition.  That was if Brian didn’t lose his patience and started yelling like a mad man demanding some answers.  He sighed hoping it wouldn’t get to that.

“You okay?” Justin asked as he looked at the brunet.

Brian nodded and grabbed Justin’s hand in his.  He was so happy that the blond was there with him.  And as he gave strength to Michael he got his from the blond. 

***

Debbie walked down the hall towards Ben’s hospital room.  She had been there once before after Michael had called her to let her know what had happened.  She knew that Michael didn’t want to leave his partner’s side and maybe she would convince him.  

Justin looked up when the door opened to the room.  He closed the book he had been reading and smiled at Debbie.  “Hi.”

“Hey, Sunshine,” Debbie said.  “What are you doing here?”

“I’m just here for Michael and also Ben,” Justin informed her.  “Michael’s been here all this time.  I convinced him to go home and take a shower.  I promised I would stay and watch Ben.”

“You’re a good soul,” Debbie said smiling and bent down to kiss the blond.

“It’s nothing really,” Justin assured her.  “I was reading to him.  It’s his.  Michael says that Ben really likes this book.  Brian and I went to get some things for Michael and he made us bring this.  He said that it would help Ben.”

Debbie put the bag in the empty chair before she went near Ben.  She sighed as her hand ran over his face.  “He looks so pale.”

“Yeah,” Justin whispered.  “But we have to keep our hopes up.”

Debbie nodded.  “Where is Brian?  Usually you two are inseparable.”

“He’s with Michael.  He took him to the apartment.  He’s part of the reason why he left.  They are good friends,” Justin explained.

Debbie nodded and pulled the chair closer to where Justin was sitting.  She put the bag on the floor and sat down.  “I’m so happy, you know.”

“You are?” Justin asked arching a brow.

“For you and Brian,” Debbie explained.  “I never thought he would find someone.”

“Because he liked to trick non stop and was an asshole?” Justin asked.

“Because he didn’t believe in love,” Debbie pointed out.  “He had a rough childhood.”

“He never wants to talk to me about that,” Justin told her.  The truth was that he had asked once and Brian said the topic was off limits.  He had left it at that.

“He was a good kid,” Debbie said.  “Always has been.  I tried to be there for him as much as I could.”

Justin smiled seeing that the woman loved Brian as her own son.  He was happy that Brian had her growing up.  

“His father liked to get drunk and use him as a punching bag,” Debbie related with a sad tone in her voice.  She shook her head.  “His mother wouldn’t do anything at all; I guess that hurt him even more.”

Justin bit his lower lip.

“He would sneak into Mikey’s room really late at night,” Debbie said.  “And I was happy to hear that old window open and close.  It was telling me that bastard of a man he had for a father hadn’t managed to kill him yet.”

Justin’s eyes watered.  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“He grew up thinking that no one could love him,” Debbie explained.  “That love didn’t really exist.”

Justin was staring to get answers for Brian’s behavior.  Why the brunet would be so open one moment and the next minute he was pushing you away or closing up.  If Brian didn’t believe in love then he didn’t have a chance in hell to make Brian love him; it just broke his heart.

“Ma,” Michael said as he came into the hospital room.

“Honey,” Debbie said as she rushed to her son and went to hug him.

Brian moved inside and put his hand on Justin’s shoulder.  “We should go for a while,” he whispered.  

Justin nodded and got up.  He put the book on the chair and hugged Debbie and Michael before he left with Brian.

“Are you okay?” Brian asked as they were in the elevator. 

Justin cleared his throat.  “Yeah,” he replied and started playing with the hem of his v-neck green sweater.  “I’m just thinking.”

“He’s going to be okay, Sunshine,” Brian said kissing Justin’s temple.

Justin sighed wishing it was Ben he was worried about, but all he could think about was how he didn’t have a chance in hell with Brian.  Brian would never love him; the man had hardened himself to be able to move on and not get hurt.  He was nobody to make Brian believe in something else more than fucking.  And as they made the slow descend his dreams and hopes crashed down in the same direction.

***

Brian kissed Justin slowly as he put a condom on.  Then he positioned himself in between the blond’s legs and positioned his hard cock at the right place.  He pushed inside and felt the vibrations of Justin’s moans go through him.  He caressed Justin’s face and was so grateful that his Sunshine was safe right there in his arms.

Justin gripped Brian’s hair as they moved slowly.  It was so good he felt himself drowning in all the pleasure.  He wrapped an arm around Brian’s shoulder wanting Brian to melt into him.  Slowly his hands moved down and he squeezed Brian’s ass before he pulled the man deeper into him each time Brian thrust inside of him.

“Justin,” Brian growled.  “God Jus.”

Justin closed his eyes and let Brian use his body.  He knew that the brunet was hurting for his friend.  He smiled knowing that Brian was a great guy that would always be there for the ones he cared for.  He made his mind up of always trying to be there for Brian.  The brunet needed someone to watch him; he would be that friend that the older man needed. 

“Jesus fuck,” Brian hissed and then his mouth found Justin’s mouth again.  He never wanted to think that Justin could fall into harms way.  Seeing Ben in the hospital only made him want to take Justin and put him in a plastic giant bubble where no one could harm him.  He moved away from Justin’s mouth and started kissing Justin’s neck.  He knew Justin liked that and he smiled when the blond started purring.

“Yeah,” Justin gasped out.  “Yeah,” he repeated and his hands moved up and down the sweaty body on top of him.  Their movement started to pick up as well as the steadiness of their moans.

Brian felt the tale-tale sign around his balls and knew he wouldn’t be able to hold any longer.  His long and slow plunges became faster jabs.  His hand reached for Justin’s cock and it only took a few strokes to have Justin’s salty-sweet juices pouring down his hand.  He let go of Justin’s cock and his hand wrapped around the back of Justin’s head as he kissed the blond.  His tongue plunged deep inside his lover’s mouth and spilled his cum deep inside his blond.

Justin didn’t stop kissing the brunet even after all their movements had stopped.  He felt so good.  He felt himself throb with happiness even though he was trying to remind himself not to get involve in the fantasy.

“I always want you to be safe,” Brian whispered when he pull back.  His lips were mere millimeters away from Justin’s lips.  “Please,” he said the word with such supplication like it almost hurt.

“I will,” Justin told him.  “I’m not a kid.”

“He wasn’t either,” Brian pointed out.  “He decided to trust his lover and got such a fucked up reward for that.”

Justin frowned.  He always thought that if he found the right person they could do it raw.  He swallowed and caressed Brian’s face.  “I promise.  I’ll never do it raw no matter what.”

Brian smiled and rubbed his nose against Justin.  “Good boy.”

“We’re drench in sweat,” Justin said smiling.

“I know,” Brian whispered.  “But I’m so comfortable right here.”

Justin laughed.  “You don’t say.”

“Yes,” Brian told the blond.  “I’m not crushing you, am I?”

“No,” Justin said smiling.  “I like it.”

Brian half laughed and kissed Justin.  He could feel his cock stirring inside of Justin so he pulled out.  “Come on, let’s go take that shower.”

Justin got up from bed and followed.  He smiled when he saw Brian grabbing a condom and taking it with him.  “Do you have something in mind, Brian?”

“You bet your ass I do,” Brian said smiling as he opened the knobs.  He looked back at Justin with an arch brow. “You think you can help me out with it.”

“I surely think that with my intelligence I would be able to help you out with whatever you come...up with,” Justin said very slowly.

Brian laughed and pulled the blond to him.  He kissed him hard and pulled back for a few seconds to look at the blond.  He surely hoped that Justin would keep his promise because he wanted him around for a very long time.

***

“Are you excited?” Justin asked.

“Why, are you going to suck my cock?” Brian asked with a sarcastic smile in place.

“Brian!” Justin hissed and laughed.  “No, that’s not what I mean.  I’m talking about the baby,” he explained as he walked with the brunet to Lindsay and Melanie’s front door.

Brian shrugged.  “Whatever.”

Justin smiled seeing the shine on Brian’s eyes.  He had talked to the brunet about how great it would be.  How he was going to be a great father.  He talked about all the toys that Brian could buy and how much the baby boy or girl would love him no matter what.  He could see that the talk made the brunet hopeful.  Like he was finally getting the kind of family that everyone deserved.

Brian knocked on the door and waited.

“Finally,” Lindsay said.  “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Brian went inside as he pulled the blond with him.  He sat down on the sofa with his supposed boyfriend.  “So, I’m here.”

“We wanted to let you know that we have arranged for everything,” Melanie said.  “All you have to do is go to the clinic and give them your sperm.”

Justin looked at Brian and smiled as he raised his brows.  “Maybe I can go and help you with that Mr. Kinney,” he whispered to the brunet.

Brian laughed.

Lindsay sat down next to her wife.  “And we have some papers for you to sign.”

“Papers?” Brian asked.

“Yeah, it releases you from any kind of responsibility,” Melanie informed him as she pushed the paper that was in the coffee table closer to Brian.  “You won’t have to pay for his expenditures or anything like that.”

Brian grabbed the paper and started reading it.  He frowned and looked at Mel.  “You want me to sign my rights over to you?”

Melanie nodded with a smile.  “We know you don’t want to be a parent.  It’s not your kind of thing.”

“Brian wants to be a father,” Justin pointed out.  “Otherwise he wouldn’t be doing this.”

“He’s doing us a favor, honey,” Lindsay pointed out.  “Brian and I are best friends as well.  I know what he wants and doesn’t.”

Justin nodded slowly and looked at Brian.  He could see Brian’s mood had rocketed down to the floor.  He knew that the man was happy with the idea of having a kid and now Lindsay and Melanie were putting a dent to that.

“Come on Brian,” Melanie said.  “You know that what you really love is to be out partying all the time and tricking like the world is going to end.”

Justin cleared his throat.  “You don’t know Brian.”

“Don’t take offense on what we’re saying but we know Brian for a lot more time than you,” Lindsay said.

Brian was getting angry.

“I see,” Justin said coldly.

“So,” Melanie said.  

“So?” Brian asked.

“We want you to sign your rights over to me when the baby is born,” Melanie told him.  “Can you do it now so we’ll be over with?”

“No way,” Justin said and then realized he had made a huge mistake.  It wasn’t his assessment to say what went on and what didn’t.

“This isn’t really your decision to make,” Melanie hissed.

“Mel,” Brian spat out.  

“He’s not going to be the father Brian,” Lindsay pointed out.  “He’s just some kid.”

“I’m not a kid,” Justin said slowly.

“Right,” Melanie said smiling.  “Look we’re just trying to do what’s best for the baby.”

“And keeping Brian out of the picture is what’s best?” Justin asked.  “He’ll be the father of this said baby.”

“Honey,” Lindsay said.  “Brian doesn’t want a kid.  Melanie and I are just trying to have a family.  We’re going to be the caregivers.  We’ll give this kid whatever he or she needs, its how it’s going to work.”

“I think you have the right idea,” Brian said as he got up.  “You can get a pen, Mel.”

Justin was so disappointed but he kept quiet.

Melanie pulled out one as quickly as possible.  “Here it is.”

“Good now when you find the donor for the possible child you’ll be parenting to, you can give it to him,” Brian said as he put the paper back where he got it and rushed out of there.

Justin got up slowly.  He couldn’t believe it.  

Melanie was fuming.  She glared at Justin momentarily.  “We are the ones that are going to be the parents,” she explained.  “So I need to have to have rights to him or her.  You have to explain that to Brian.”

“Me?” Justin asked.  “If remember correctly I didn’t have a thing to do with this,” he said before he left them.   Brian was waiting for him outside.

“Brian, don’t go,” Lindsay told him.  “I really want this baby.”

“And I don’t?” Brian asked surprising even himself.

“What’s with you?” Lindsay asked.  “Why are you doing this?  You have changed so much.”

“For better,” Justin pointed out.

“Look, let’s get real,” Melanie said.  “You’re not fit to be a fulltime parent and even if you were you still need Lindsay to have the kid.”

“Why, is she the only woman that can get pregnant?” Brian asked crossing his arms.

Justin frowned and looked back at the girls.  He couldn’t believe that they were making such a mess out of things.  Planning to have a baby should be a wonderful thing.

“We’ll still let you come and see our kid,” Melanie said.  

“You’ll let me,” Brian spit out.  “Your kid?  Jesus Christ!  What the fuck was I thinking?”

“Brian, please,” Lindsay said.  “Do this for me.”

Brian thought about it.  His lips forming into a pout as he stared at both women.

“Just come sign the papers,” Melanie told him trying to keep her anger in check.

Brian smirked and turned around.  He left them there without saying a word.

Justin shrugged and ran after the brunet.  He got on the ‘vette and quickly put on his seatbelt as Brian sped away.  “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Brian told him.  “I really didn’t want a kid.”

Justin frowned feeling guilty for having filled the brunet with so many dreams.  He told Brian how great it would be to be a father, that he would be great for the job.  He felt guilty that he had done all that.  He could see that the brunet had though about it and it made him want it.  He decided to keep his mouth shut from now on.  He didn’t want to do anything to hurt the brunet.  He wished he could have spared Brian from the awful moment they just had with the girls.  He would do anything to keep Brian out of harm’s way.